8% rise: Bristol mayor George Ferguson approves jump in city taxi fares

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Post:

Taxi fares in Bristol are set to rise by an average of eight per cent, despite opposition from cabinet council members. Mayor George Ferguson approved the figure, which was subject to months of negotiations with taxi drivers, at a cabinet meeting at City Hall last night.

Councillors Mark Bradshaw and Gus Hoyt's objections to the above-inflation rise were overruled by the mayor, who said: "Somebody has to make the decision."

A decision on whether to increase fares was put on hold at a cabinet meeting in July due to an "unusually large number of objections".

The new fares for hackney carriages will be introduced from November 16 and will mean that on Mondays to Fridays between 6am and 10am there will be a cost of ^2.60 for initial hiring and ^1.80 per mile thereafter.

There are also higher rates during the night, at weekends, on bank holidays and during the festive period.

Bristol Taxi Association supported a move to increase fares due to increasing costs and falling profit margins.

But earlier in the year one of Bristol's biggest taxi firms, Streamline, spoke out against the move, saying it would put off customers.

Mr Bradshaw, Labour cabinet member responsible for transport in the city, said the rise would meet the requirements of some drivers but would impact on passengers. He added: "The scale of the increase is difficult for me to support and I will be asking for a note to be added of my objection."

Gus Hoyt, Green Party cabinet councillor for neighbourhoods, environment and council housing, said: "I would like to echo Mark's concern. In times when food and heating is going up drastically, I think this is completely out of scale and I would recommend we turn this one down."

Both councillors agreed the council should look at a more regular price increase structure.

Mr Ferguson said: "I made it absolutely clear ^ and it has worked very well ^ the purpose of a rainbow cabinet is to judge loyalty by people being honest about their opinions. I absolutely respect your views but in the end somebody has to decide."

Mr Ferguson approved the rises as set out in a report submitted to the cabinet meeting in advance.

[ChrisB]

I hope pax hit them in the pocket by using other methods of transport. That ^2.60 nearly morning addition would put me on the bus for sure.

[JayMac]

Initial hiring fee now more expensive than London, although distances are different so an exact comparison is difficult.

3+ people travelling together and the taxi still represents good value over bus fares for short to medium city centre journeys.

[thetrout]

Mendip District Council also charge ^2.60 for initial hiring of a Taxi on Tariff 1. I think the article accidentally implies a surcharge of ^2.60 for hiring between 06:00 and 10:00  when my understanding is this is not the case and this is what the meter will start at when you get into the Taxi.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council allow a charge of ^5.00 when you get in a taxi after 23:00 (from memory). My experience is though that the more expensive tariff in late evenings can work out cheaper as there is considerably less traffic around. So driving up London Road in the Westcliff-on-Sea area it is actually possible to reach speeds of 30mph!

[ChrisB]

I think the article accidentally implies a surcharge of ^2.60 for hiring between 06:00 and 10:00  when my understanding is this is not the case and this is what the meter will start at when you get into the Taxi.

Ahh, that's different to what they say - it reads as if it's double - ^2.60 on meter plus another ^2.60 between 6 & 10....